EE announces first UK 4G mobile phone plans, not quite what was expected?

One could easily turn this into a hate-filled rant at EE, but we'll remain calm with a cup of tea in one hand and the crumpet in the other. According to a press release sent out this morning (crossing over Nokia incidentally), EE announced its UK 4G plans, and what it will be charging consumers to make use of the extra speeds offered by the UK's first LTE network.

Now don't get us wrong, we expected a slight jump in pricing due to the exclusivity held by EE on the improved network speed, but what has been revealed by the company is almost mind boggling.

Should you not currently own a 4G handset, be prepared to fork out for the following plans:

£36 - 500MB

£41 - 1GB

£46 - 3GB

£51 - 5GB

£56 - 8GB

No, we haven't made them up. You're expected to deal with a 500MB cap on the UK's first 4G network, should you find £36 more than enough for the service you'll be expected to receive. While those in other markets have been known for dealing with tighter carrier data allowances, here in the UK we've always enjoyed "unlimited data", which is what many networks currently supply - at a cheaper price than the above.

To make matters worse, there's no unlimited option. 8GB is the sky, should you wish to venture into space, you might have to jump ship and wait until the other carriers are able to launch their 4G networks to compete with EE. However, there is light at the end of the tunnel should you already own a 4G smartphone.

SIM-only plans from EE will also offer data with unlimited SMS and voice calls on each plan, and turns out to be slightly cheaper than the above full contracts.

£21 - 500MB

£26 - 1GB

£31 - 3GB

£36 - 5GB

EE is not only the UK's first 4G network, but it's also the first unintentionally set BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) choice. EE states that they will inform customers when data allowances are almost met, and will offer the chance to purchase data add-ons to provide a slight boost to the set limit.

Thankfully there's no restrictions on how data can be used - VoIP, tethering, etc. is all within the plans. Also, BT Wi-fi is also included at no extra cost, providing access to millions of wireless hotspots across the UK, which will save some MBs.

Businesses have a slightly more reasonable deal on EE (almost double the data for the same price compared to consumer plans):

£35 - 1GB

£40 - 4GB

£45 - 8GB

£50 - 16GB

Unfortunately, being British, this has sparked some EE feedback on social media websites, but hopefully EE will increase allowances or reduce cost for the higher data caps. Still, for the average consumer, is 500MB / 8GB enough? Especially with increased network speed, which could well increase the usage considerably if said consumer streams video, etc.

I would love to be on that carrier. The only one to offer unlimited data is Telenor. Telia, 3, Tele2 and Halebop all have limited data plans. After the GB's is used the speed goes down to silly slow speed and you have to wait for the month to end before the speed goes back.

Their LTE coverage is still quite minimal anyway so not really an issue for most people just yet. I pay £10 a month for unlimited (3G) data and I use about 4gb a month as I stream a lot of music. I don't particularly need faster speeds, so I'll be sticking with what I have at the moment thank you kindly.

Thing is the coverage will be none existent so you might think to get your new phone with a 3G contract, however the Lumia 920 will only be available on a 4G contract so they're essentially charging you twice as much as you're currently paying for a service they can't actually give you.

Please do excuse me for my ignorance, here in Canada we've had LTE for at least a year and a bit now, and we're a pretty low-density low-population country. What took the UK, which is much smaller in area and has a population of about 2.5x ours, so long? have there been spectrum issues?

On an unrelated note, although the prices are ridiculous, the SIM-only prices are quite reasonable. Why can't it be made standard globally that if you BYOP (bring your own phone), you don't have to pay monthly prices designed to help subsidize a phone?

Basically its Ofcom, the department that deals with the spectrum. First we was waiting for the digital switchover to be completed, which was pushed back to late 2012, then the date of the auction of the bands was delayed. Us Brits always come last.

ALL carriers are to blame, the auction date was held back by ofcom, yes thats right, but EE had bandwidth available for a long time, other carriers (O2 & Vodafone) were blocking their usage of that bandwidth until the auction, which was also delaying the auction because of the legal battle

that is now over, and O" & the others have agreed to behave and stop whinning for a while, and let EE start their network early, giving them a 6 month / 1 year monopoly on the UK's 4G network

this unfortunately means that they can set whatever prices they want as there is no competition...and this being the UK, what will happen when the others turn up, they will match EE's pricing, not undercut them...so in short, we've been fucked over, and i no longer want to use 4g, not for those prices, i can use wifi for similar speeds and its fucking free

Lame! Im not a data monster by any means but this tramples all over my current Orange plan. Speaking of that, what's the deal there anyway? Will the 920 be on Orange contracts or only new sky high EE contracts..?? Anyone know?

With EE having the 920, I was gonna jump on the EE bandwagon as soon as my contract ends in late November leaving O2; but considering I'm paying £36 for 1GB 3G on my tariff the price that EE are showing are a joke!

Ofcom is to blame for this. Give a company a monopoly on 4G and this is what you get.
These prices and Nokia Lumia 920 exclusivity don't bode well.
Heck they are even shafting their own custoners (orange\Tmobile) £99 to switch if you have only been with them a few months and have to buy out contract (with 33% discount) if you have a current contract.

Even on my very basic 500mg TMoble plan it has unlimited surfing and email, yet even this looks absent. As that contract is ending, I look forward to TMobile (oops EE) BS to try and sell me this. They will have to offer me free alcohol for a year & even then its overpriced. Should be good sport.

Lets see what the next few days bring, but this really doesn't bode well for Nokia and the Lumia 820/920 if EE have an exclusive deal of any significant length. The EE announcement truly is ridiculous for a product with very limited coverage and limited speeds. As others have said, the pricing / allowances are shocking & I cant see sales being anything other than incidental.
And with EE already advertising & pricing Samsungs, HTC and the IPhone as their phones, Nokia are already behind in the pecking order, even in the smallest market place. Hopefully it is an LTE or colour exclusive, because here in the UK, giving an exclusive in this market place, to EE, is possibly the strangest decision possible Elop could have made, if he truly wants to sell mobile phones here.

I don't want to give up my unlimited 3g for a more expensive 4g limited tarif and I don't even get 4g in my area! Although, the SIM only tarif is better but then I will have to purchase an unlocked lumia 920 upfront. If the Nokia Lumia 920 is only available on 4g then goodbye Nokia.

You can run a Lumia 920 on a 3G data plan :)
perhaps it is best to wait until all our networks have 4G before signing up to a 4G data plan? competition should bring better data allowances or prices. 500mb is no not workable on 4G.

it harks back to the days when Orange and Vodafone sold BlackBerry's with only 6mb, YES, 6mb of data!!!

Rich, most UK networks don't have unlimited data - I believe only T-Mobile and 3 did that.
In any case this sucks for T-Mobile and Orange users as EE took a huge chunk of spectrum from 3G to 4G. Even worse, next year same will happen to O2 and Vodafone users...

As much as would like the 920 I'm not going to switch networks as the 4G coverage is poor at best. Sure the 920 is (probably) the best WP8 device but I'm going to be sticking with o2 and I'll be getting the 8X. I am happy with o2 and the data that I get. If EE had vastly more 4G coverage I might've considered switching but those price are very off-putting.

After learning some economics with a course that i am doing LOL, i think there is a reason why prices are that high, but still im not willing to pay more for 4G when practically everywhere i go has wifi available and reliable 3G signal. Im already with orange and I can upgrade next month but im leaving them i really dislike orange. im going back to sim free handsets and going on to virgin mobile they offer pretty good deals on sim only contracts especially if you are already a customer, on top of that they use EE's signal (correct me if wrong) and i think they are currently in talks to try launch 4G ahead of other networks. Is anyone already with virgin mobile UK? if yes do you recommend and why?

Hi jenjen4u
I'm with Virgin and can't fault them. Their sim only deals are the best in my opinion, especially as you get a discount if you use Virginmedia.
Coverage is great and customer service is great too.

Same story as ever.
The fully mobile web has been possible for at least 10 years now, but data costs have always prohibited its use.
By the way - i assume the iphone will be exempt as usual and have a special package - just like orange always had.

And when you add in the price of the handset which I think they have said the iPhone 5 will be over £100 on the lowest priced option and you will even have to pay something on the highest it is going to be massively expensive.

£8 per month for 600mins, 3000sms and unlimited data (I use about 9 - 15GB per month) with Three... Who have been upgrading their network to HSDPA+ DC so its actually faster than EE's offering if you have a compatible phone. Go outside of a major urban area, and you struggle even to get 3G coverage with EE, with 3 the bare minimum is 3G, with guys HSDPA coverage. EE is shit, 3 is where it is at, Nokia have fooked up BIG TIME giving exclusivity to EE for the Lumia 920, should have given it to Vodafone or o2 if they really had to give it to someone. This announcement just killed the Lumia 920 overnight for the UK market. How the hell do people live without unlimited data with WP7 handsets, just a few YouTube bids etc, and your approaching 1GB, I dont understand it...

I dont think many are missing that at all. You can get the SGS 3 on Three (The One plan 3G) with unltd data for £20 per month less than the price you mention...per month.
What they have got is - simply, 4G (and limited in many ways 4G) is not worth that premium.
If you want the L920 then get a Sim only 3G plan - with unlimited internet for £10-£15 (different options are out there, esp with cashback), buy a Lumia 920 (unlocked) and cost over 2 years = £450 (handset, estimate) + £360 (max) = £810
Versus the 500mb EE option £36x24 = £864 + £149 = £1013 minimum. Tied into one contract on a locked device.
4G is not worth that premium.